Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Remarks on the calling of the election

As we all know by now, the general elections have been called for Monday, May 7, 2012.

Unfortunately that leaves 4 -1/2 weeks for more campaigning and bombast.

Speaking of bombast, I received the following e-mail from a family member:

Have you read this?

What an idiot! Of course the Bahamian people can't exercise their right to vote until the PM permits them to. He is the PM and he calls the election! The PM hasn't broken any laws, he has done everything in bounds with the law! This blows my mind!

Then he goes on to say that they are glad that the PM has finally felt the necessity to "allow" the people to take part in the democratic process. Bottom line is the our constitution gives guidelines on how and when a general election must be held, so how is it that the PM is now "allowing" them?

I'm afraid Bran's leadership of his own party has already gone to his head and is causing him to look like an idiot! Heaven forbid that he wins his seat much less becomes PM!

His remarks were in response to the following statement by Branville McCartney on the polling date:

10 April 2012

REMARKS BY:

Hon. Branville McCartney, M.P.

The PM has obviously become intoxicated from 25 years of indulging on his own power. His intoxication has led him to find joy in our anxiety. He revels in being able to tell 172,000 voters that he is the messiah of their democracy and they cannot exercise it until he permits them to.

The PM has become poisoned by power and has in turn poisoned our democracy.

The greater the power, the greater the abuse. And he has shown ability to abuse it without remorse.

After giving multiple hints that he would announce, the PM has overcome his fear of being rejected from leadership, the fear of being forced into retirement, he has decided to call the election.

We are glad that he has finally felt the necessity to "allow" people to participate in the democratic process, maybe now he will understand the necessity of him participating in a public debate. Will his drunken disregard for public opinion lead him to continue denying Bahamians the right to make informed decisions.

It is as if power has become his mistress, after toiling 25 years at her conquest he cannot bear the idea of any other man attaining her grasp.

He has been called "Papa" so many times by his supporters that he has begun to believe it, embrace it and personify it, in that, he treats the Bahamian people like his children that he does not have to answer to. We the people are here to remind him that he works for us! That he answers to us! And that he will be handsomely fired on election day.

Maybe it's my imagination but Mr. McCartney seems to have lost his poise like he has lost the support those he thought might go along with him.

One can only hope that the level of discussion will be raised for the campaigns. If this is what we will get from the opposition it certainly seems to narrow the choice. It also makes me wonder why we must refer to some M.P's as honourable.